Suction operated floor and rug conditioning and cleaning tool



July 26, 1960 w. D. BURCH 2,946,080

SUCTION OPERATED FLOOR AND RUG CONDITIONING AND CLEANING TOOL Filed June 26, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2: /7 mvsmoa Wilhe Dee Burch Ma /w ATTORNEIQ W. D. BURCH July 26, 1960 SUCTION OPERATED FLOOR AND RUG CONDITIONING AND CLEANING TOOL Filed June 26. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

ATTORNEY} :Willie D. Burch, liss-Nw. 13th'St., Oklahoma City 6, Okla.

riled-June 26, 1956, $91. No. 593,940 term. or. 15-375 This invention relates .to improvements in floor'and rug conditioning and cleaning tools.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of-an extremely efficient floor and rug conditioning and cleaning tool which is designed for attachment to the hosehandle or wand of a vacuum cleaner. Although this floor and rug conditioning tool is designed so that it may be attached to the hose handle or wand of the conventional tank or canister type vacuum cleaners, opti-mum performance is attained when this floor or -rug conditioning tool is attached to a vacuum cleaner of the type disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 590,044., filed June 7, 1956.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved turbine structure for rug cleaning heads in which the blades are so shaped as to permit the most eflicient power producing fan spinning operation.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a compact, economical and eflicient rug cleaning head in which one portion of air suction is utilized solely for the. purpose of operating a turbine under circumstances which will avoid the entrance of dust, dirt and other debris to the turbine structure compartment; a second 'portion of air suction being utilized to pick up sand, dirt, etc., from the rug and base of the rug being cleaned.

- A further object of this invention is the provision of a rug or floor conditioning tool designed for attachmerit to vacuum cleaners, wherein the suction created by the vacuum cleaner rotates a turbine within, the floor or-rug conditioning tool, which, by means of aipower take-off rotates a brush which is also carried by the floora-nd-rug conditioning tool.

A further object of this invention is the provision of animprov'ed floor and rug conditioning and cleaning tool for attachment to vacuum cleaners which has two intake openings, tone intake opening for suction which operates a turbine and drives a rotary brush, and a second intake openingfor the suction which lifts dirt, lint, etc. from the rug or floor.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved floor and rug conditioning and cleaning tool wherein a suction operated power plant is provided having adirect application of suction thereto without its being diminished by passage through the entire power plant.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved turbine operated floor or rug conditioning tool wherein the operating air passes through the turbine free from dirt at a high velocity along a direct path without its having first been utilized to perform some other function, as for instance that of cleaning.

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved fioor and rug conditioning tool which is low in height so that it may be easily passed into shallow clearances beneath turniture.

proved floor and rug conditioning tool.

2,946,080 Patented July 26,- 1960 Other objects and advantages of this invention wins.- apparent during the course of the following detailed description. v

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and wherein similar reference charactefs designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

' Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the Figure 2 isa horizontal cross sectional substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure '1. V

Figure '3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1. i p

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of my improved floor and rug conditioning tool. v n

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a preferred form of fan to be utilized with my rug and floor conditioning tool, With a portion thereof broken away to show'the turbine blades.

In the drawings wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may generally designate the rug and floor conditioning and cleaning tool. It includes a supporting frame B which has mounted thereon a floor or rug conditioning head comprising a turbine structure C, a brush D and an air fiow suction actuated drive means F for operating D. Mounted upon the supporting frame view taken 'B is attaching means E for coupling the rug or -floor conditioning tool -A to a source of air suction such as a vacuum cleaner.

The supporting frame or housing B comprises "an elongated top wall 10 having depending side Walls 11 and 12, a depending forward wall portion 13 and a depending rear wall 14. A bottom wall 15 is connected to the lower margins of rear wall 14 and extend forwardlytherefrom, terminating short of the forward wall '13. It also is connected to the lower margins of side walls l-land 12. These walls define a chamber 16 for the mounting of the turbine structure and drive means and has an opening 17 thereto for the brush head D. An outlet tube 18 is provided at the central portion of the juncture of the rear wall 14 and top wall It} of the supporting frame B towhich is connected the attaching means E.

The brush construction D comprises two brushes 20 and 2-1 which are supported therein by bearings 22 and 23 secured upon "the side walls 11 and 12 respectively. Secured centrally between the brushes 2t) and '21 and positively connected thereto is a gear 25 which constitutes driving means for the brushes and is connected to a power take-off from the drive means :F to be subsequently'described.

Mounted within the chamber 16 is a partition wall V i which is connected to the rear and side walls 10, 11 and 12 by screws 31 and which has a downwardly turned wall 32 at the forward portion thereof which is attached to the bottom wall 15 by means of screws 33, thereby forming a compartment 35 between the partition plate 30 and thebotto'm wall 15. A box like housing 37 is attached to the top of the plate 3t by means of screws 38 which forms a compartment 40 for part of the power takeoff means F to be subsequently described.

Power take off means F includes a bearing (preferably oil packed) which supports a shaft 45 to which is attached the turbine C by means of a set screw 51. Also mounted upon the shaft 46, at its top end is a pinion gear 52 which meshes with a pinion 53, forming a bevel gear set 54. The pinion 53 is mounted upon a shaft 55 which is supported upon bearings 56 and 57. Mounted upon the shaft 56 at the fore end thereof is a worm 60 which meshes with the gear 25 and forms a worm gear set 61.

The turbine structure C comprises a top plate or 65 which has formed centrally thereof a sleeve 66 through which set screw 51 passes for keying to the shaft 46. Connected to the outer periphery'of the plate 65 is a depending cylindrical wall 67 normal thereto. Connected to the wall 67 and radially extending outwardly therefrom is an annular series of novel blades 68. A cylindrical wall 69 is attached to the outer margins of the blades therebyholding them in a secured position. The spaces between the turbine blades are opened at top and bottom of the turbine structure.

To provide for direct passage of air between the fan blades 68, the bottom wall 15 of the supporting frame is provided with a series of arcuate slots 70; downwardly turned arcuate sloping flanges or vanes 71 border these slots and direct the air upwardly through the apertures 70 onto the fan blades 68 and out of the chamber 16 through a passageway 72 cut in the plate 30 directly above the slots 70.

Attached to the bottom wall 15 are wheels or casters 75 and 76 which hold the vanes 71 out of contact with the floor or rug and together with a third Wheel or caster 77 form a rolling support for the tool. The roller or caster 77 is mounted for adjustment upon a shaft 78 and supported upon a frame 79 which is connected to the rear wall 14. It will thus be seen that upon raising or lowering the roller 77 the conditioning head will be raised or lowered.

The attaching means E consists of a ball and socket arrangement which is directly attached to the outlet tube 18 of the supporting frame B. At its outer end the outlet 18 has a hemispherically shaped portion 81 which terminates in a radial flange 32. A hemispherically shaped member 83 having a radial flange 84 at the larger end thereof is coupled to the flange 82 by means of a U-shaped strap 85. A gasket (not shown) may be placed between them if found necessary. The U-shaped strap 85 comprises two sections 86 and 87 which are hingedly connected together at one side thereof at 88 and are connected together at the other ends thereof by means of a nut and bolt arrangement 39. The hemispherically shaped member 83 has a motion limiting slot 90 formed therein. Slidably mounted within the chamber 91 formed by the joining together of the two arcuate sections 81 and 83 is a segmental shaped member 95. Pins 92 and 93 attached to section 83 hold the member 95 against side movement. The inner end of member 95 is opened at 96. Its opposite end terminates in a tubular handle connecting nipple 97.

The turbine blades 68 have an inclined V shape. Their forward surfaces 100 are arcuated and their rear surfaces are angularly shaped as at 101 and 102. When air is sucked into the inclined V shaped spaces 100 over the surface of the turbine blades 68 it will initially impart a rotary motion to the turbine by hitting the surface 102, and when it passes between the arcuate surface 100 of a trailing blade and the angular surface 101 it will cause a vacuum to be created which acts upon the trailing blade to give added impetus to rotary motion of the turbine.

The operation of my improved rug and floor conditioning tool is as follows:

A wand or hose handle leading from a vacuum cleaner is attached in any approved manner to the cylindrical neck or tube 97. The wand or hose handle has a limited degree of Vertical motion only which is permitted by the ball and socket arrangement E, the limitation being caused by engaging the upper and lower edges of the slot 90.

The adjustable caster 77 is set for the desired degree of contact or spacing of the tool with respect to the floor or rug.

When the vacuum cleaner is turned on, air is drawn through the floor or rug conditioning tool. It will be deflected by the vanes 71 through the apertures 70 into the chamber 35 and, through the spaces between the turbine blades 68 and thence outwardly from the chamber 35 through the arcuate aperture 72 and into the 4 chamber 16. Thence it passes into the vacuum cleaner. The passage of air over the turbine blades 68 will impart a powerful rotary movement to the turbine which will in turn, by virtue of the bevel gear set 54, rotate the worm and gear set 61 and impart a rotary motion to the brushes 20 and 21. Air suction will also be created in the opening 17 and surrounding the rotary brushes 20 and 21. The dirt from the floor or rug to be cleaned will be sucked upwardly through the opening 17, through the chamber 16 and thence into the vacuum cleaner. It is to be particularly noted that there are two separate intake openings provided within my floor or rug conditioning tool whereby the dirt, lint, etc. picked up by the brushes 20 and 21 and introduced through the opening 17 will not pass through the fan structure C.

It should be noted that air whichis taken into the turbine chamber passes directly through the spaces between turbine blades at a limited fan blade area, thereby giving added force to the fan and avoiding air turbulence and speed reducing effects which would be present should the air be passed through the entire turbine or over a large blade area of the fan.

While the appliance of this invention can be utilized with other types of vacuum cleaners than that set forth in my copending application Serial No. 590,044, filed June 7, 1956, I have found it to be a particularly eflicient tool when used in connection with my vacuum cleaner since it produces far more powerful suction than ordinary upright vacuum cleaners. Because the path of air travel is split in my improved appliance, between the fan structure and the passageway at the brush head structure, the arrangement is such that about 50% of the suction operates the turbine and brush assembly and the rest of the suction passes through the opening 17 at the fore and aft sides of the brush head and is so powerful that it cleans material from the floor at the base of the rug.

Although this rug or floor conditioning tool is designed primarily for the purpose of cleaning of rugs or floors, the rotating brushes 20 and 21 can be used for floor polishing or another polishing roller substituted therefor should it be desired to utilize this tool as a floor polisher.

Various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claim.

I claim:

A cleaning appliance comprising a housing structure including a top wall, a parallel bottom wall, and surrounding side walls, a horizontal partition wall substantiall paralleling the top and bottom walls and subdividing said housing into an upper shallow compartment and a lower shallow compartment, said partition and said bottom wall terminating in attached edges short of the adjacent side wall at the front of the cleaning appliance to define a space open to the upper compartment, a brush head rotatably mounted in said space between the attached edges of the partition and bottom walls and the adjacent side wall and extending transversely across the front of said housing, a vertically shallow turbine having peripheral blades rotatably mounted on a vertical axis upon said partition wall and located in the lower compartment, said bottom wall adjacent to the brush head having a duct therein located immediately below a segmental portion of the outer peripheral portions of said blades whereby air sucked into the tool will pass through the duct and onto the turbine blades for rotating the turbine, said partition wall immediately above said duct having an opening therein providing communication between the upper and lower compartments, drive means in the upper compartment connecting said brush and turbine for rotation, and tubular means connected to the housing for receiving air under suction and drawing it through the upper compartment, around the brush head, and through the turbine by way of said ducts.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Foster-et a1. Feb. 14, 1911 Spielman Apr. 2, 1918 5 Parker Sept. 27, 1921 Welles et al Aug. 10, 1937 6 Kirby Feb. 8, 1938 Farrell June 17, 1941 Olsen July 13, 1954 Theis et a1 May 8, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Nov. 1, 1954 

